


say something (I'm giving up on you)

by blakefancier



Series: Dangerous Games [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 02:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1671086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maria stood at the gravesite, wearing her favorite black dress, a bouquet of wildflowers in her hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	say something (I'm giving up on you)

**Author's Note:**

> If you read my tumblr, you know I've been playing with an idea where Steve is a junkie, Howard is an arms dealer, Schmidt is a drug dealer and Maria... well, read the story. 
> 
> This is the first story in the series.
> 
> I'm sorry. I am so sorry. Read the notes at the bottom first if you want to know who is dead.

Maria stood at the gravesite, wearing her favorite black dress, a bouquet of wildflowers in her hand. The sun was bright and she was sweaty, but the material of the dress was thick enough to mute the glow of the arc reactor in her chest. For a moment, the metal felt too heavy and she struggled to breathe. She forced herself to take a deep breath and released it slowly. 

It helped, but only just. 

She waited: hot and uncomfortable and angry. Always so angry. 

Howard was a half an hour late, but then in all the years they'd been doing this, he had never been on time. At least he wasn't drunk. He slipped beside her and they both stared down at the stone proclaiming their son's death.

Tony would have been seventeen this year. 

Maria set down the flowers, a small smile curving her lips. Tony would have loved how bright they were, how untamed. Howard reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metal figurine. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw what it was. It was a replica of that damn robot Tony sketched everywhere—scratch paper, important documents, the walls—and said he would make some day. 

Howard reached out to touch her arm, but she jerked away, one hand pressed over the arc reactor, the other held out as if to defend herself. He sighed, looked away, and slipped on a pair of sunglasses. He didn't say, 'I'd never hurt you.' so she didn't have to reply that she didn’t believe him. 

They were both silent in their grief, but what was left to say? She'd screamed herself hoarse, had cried until there were no more tears. And he… well, his grief was displayed in fire and blood and body counts.

He shifted, slightly, and she knew he was getting ready to leave. She should leave it, she should stay silent, but the words slipped from her lips, like they always did.

"You should stop what you're doing, Howard. Don't you have enough blood on your hands?"

He snorted and rocked back on his heels. "Are you wearing a wire, my dear?"

"Of course not," she said, anger flaring up briefly, before dying away. "There isn't a device I could wear that you wouldn't have a countermeasure for. We both know that."

Howard shrugged and slipped his hands into his pockets. "You know I'll never stop, not until the world burns."

"And the both of us with it?" Maria clenched her hands. "You used to love me once. You used to care."

"That was before you betrayed me," he spat out. "Before you stole my company."

"And haven't you had your revenge." She wanted to rend the dress from her body, show him what his actions had done to her. But she knew he'd already seen the scars and he didn't care. Not anymore. "Tony would be so ashamed of you."

"Tony's dead."

"And the men who caused the accident are too." Thanks to him, though he denied it.

"It's not enough. I don’t know how you can think it's enough!" His voice broke and his body tensed. 

"That's the difference between the two of us, Howard. I want to celebrate Tony's life, be the hero he would have wanted me to be. You…" She shook her head. "You've let this turn you into a monster." 

"I want everyone to hurt."

She knew that. She'd heard him say it enough. "I'm going to stop you."

"You haven't yet, Iron Woman." The smile Howard gave her was so brittle she thought he might crack. 

"I will someday." Maria wiped her eyes carefully, so she wouldn’t smudge her makeup. "Take care of yourself, Howard." She walked away and pretended she didn't hear his muffled sobs.

**Author's Note:**

> I kill Tony. I'm sorry. I AM SORRY!


End file.
